Sanitized vending machine having access door locking mechanism coupled to actuation mechanism and access door

ABSTRACT

A sanitized vending machine includes product and cup dispensing mechanisms and an actuation mechanism. The product dispensing mechanism, holding product items, rotates through a product dispensing cycle to dispense them. The cup dispensing mechanism, holding a stack of cups, rotates through a cup dispensing cycle to dispense an empty cup to an intermediate location in a drop chute spaced above a final discharge location. Dispensing cycles occur in a predetermined sequence enabling the dispensed product items to be received in a dispensed empty cup and the cup dropped to the discharge location. An access door locking mechanism is coupled to the actuation mechanism so as to maintain the access door in a locked condition and closed position from start of an actuation cycle to completion thereof whereupon the access door is converted to an unlocked condition permitting a user to open the access door and remove a cup with product items.

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/507,808, filed Jul. 30, 2012 now pending, which claims the benefit ofU.S. provisional application No. 61/575,725 filed Aug. 26, 2011 and U.S.provisional application No. 61/631,747 filed Jan. 10, 2012. Eachapplication identified above is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to vending machines and, moreparticularly, is concerned with a sanitized vending machine having anaccess door locking mechanism coupled to an actuation mechanism and anaccess door.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Most prior art bulk coin-operated vending machines dispense theirproduct items, such as candy or gum, into a non-removable cup fixed on,and ordinarily openable by manipulation of a pivotal flap mounted on theoutside of, the housing of the machine which can be contacted and thuspotentially contaminated by users' hands. The inventor of the subjectmatter disclosed herein has discerned that it is likely there are manypotential users who would prefer alternative approaches for productitems to be dispensed from bulk vending machines so that the dispensedproduct items cannot be contaminated through contact with parts of thevending machines which can be contacted and contaminated by users. Aninnovation which attempted to provide one alternative approach isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,351 by the inventor of the subjectmatter disclosed herein.

However, it is perceived by the inventor of the subject matter disclosedherein that a need still exists for other alternative approaches tosanitized dispensing from bulk coin-operated vending machines thatincorporate appropriate mechanisms that assist in the fulfillment ofsuch need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sanitized vending machine thatincorporates coordinating mechanisms that work to prevent all users fromcontaminating product items and parts of the machine that contact theproduct items, by only allowing the occurrence of certain actions withinthe machine and behind a locked access door on the machine, and thusinaccessible to all users. These coordinating mechanisms generallyresult in, first, dispensing a cup from a stack thereof by dropping itvia a drop chute to an intermediate location in the drop chute, second,dispensing one or more selected product items from a supply thereof bydropping them via the drop chute into the dispensed cup while retainedat the intermediate location, and, third, concurrently releasing anddropping the dispensed cup containing the product items from theintermediate location of the drop chute to a discharge location behindthe locked access door and unlocking the access door to allow a user toremove the dispensed cup containing the product items from the dischargelocation. The dispensed cup with the product items therein can only beremoved from the discharge location in the machine upon the access doorbeing unlocked due to a given user operating the machine to make apurchase through depositing the required coins into the machine andturning an external handle of an actuation mechanism on the machinethrough a given actuation cycle.

The present invention provides an appropriate mechanism in the sanitizedvending machine in the form of an access door locking mechanism coupledto the actuation mechanism and the access door so as to maintain theaccess door in a locked condition and closed position from start of anactuation cycle to completion thereof whereupon the access door isconverted to an unlocked condition permitting a user to open the accessdoor and remove a cup with product items therein.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a sanitized vending machinewhich includes: a cup dispensing mechanism adapted to hold at least onestack of cups and rotate through a cup dispensing cycle during which thecup dispensing mechanism dispenses a cup from the stack; a productdispensing mechanism adapted to hold a plurality of product items androtate through a product dispensing cycle during which the productdispensing mechanism dispenses one or more of product items into adispensed cup; a drop chute disposed below and in communication with theproduct and cup dispensing mechanisms and being adapted to receive andguide a dispensed cup to an intermediate location in the drop chute, toreceive and guide dispensed product items into a dispensed cup at theintermediate location in the drop chute, and to guide the dispensed cupwith the dispensed product items therein to a discharge location belowthe drop chute; an actuation mechanism including a rotatable actuatorbeing adapted upon actuation to cause rotation of the product and cupdispensing mechanisms, and a handle coupled to the rotatable actuatorand adapted to be turned by a user to actuate the rotatable actuator byrotating the rotatable actuator through an actuation cycle that causesrotation of the product and cup dispensing mechanisms through therespective product and cup dispensing cycles in a predetermined sequenceso that the dispensed product items are received in a dispensed cup atthe intermediate location and then dropped to the discharge locationduring each actuation cycle; an access door being movable between aclosed position and an opened position to allow a user to remove adispensed cup containing product items from the discharge location whenthe access door in the opened position; and an access door lockingmechanism coupled to the actuation mechanism and the access door andadapted to maintain the access door in a locked condition at the closedposition from the start of the actuation cycle until the handle of theactuation mechanism has been turned by a user through completion of theactuation cycle whereupon the access door is converted to an unlockedcondition permitting the user to open the access door and remove the cupcontaining product items.

More particularly, the access door locking mechanism includes anelongated rod coupled with the access door and a lock actuation devicecoupled with the rotatable actuator of the actuation mechanism. Theelongated rod is reciprocally mounted on an inside surface of the accessdoor and has a bias being imposed thereon to move upward so as to placethe access door in the unlocked condition. The lock actuation device isreciprocally mounted above the access door and at a lower end is alignedwith the elongated rod. The lock actuation device at an upper end isengaged with the rotatable actuator of the actuation mechanism such thatas the handle of the actuation mechanism is turned by a user through anactuation cycle the rotatable actuator maintains the lock actuationdevice and the elongated rod depressed downward against the bias suchthat the rod maintains the access door in the locked condition at theclosed position, until the handle of the actuation mechanism has reachedthe completion of the actuation cycle whereupon the rotatable actuatorallows the lock actuation device and elongated rod to move upward duethe bias and convert the access door to an unlocked condition permittingthe user to open the access door and remove the cup containing productitems.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of thefollowing detailed description when taken in conjunction with thedrawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodimentof the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, reference will be made to theattached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of asanitized vending machine in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine as seen along line 2-2in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the machine as seen along line 3-3 in FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational interior rear view of thefront of the machine showing the backside of an actuation mechanism andan access door locking mechanism coordinated therewith.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a well structure, a productdispensing mechanism, a cup dispensing mechanism, and outer and innercup separator devices employed in the machine as seen in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertically foreshortened view of the machine, withportions in sectional form, as seen generally along line 6-6 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of the outer cup separator device ofFIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the outer cup separator device asseen along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of a peripheral first driven gear onthe product dispensing device drivingly intermeshed with a peripheralsecond driven gear on the cup dispensing mechanism of the machine asseen in FIG. 6.

FIG. 10A is a sectional view of a separation restraint device arm takenalong line 10A-10A in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10B is a sectional view of a position restraint device rod takenalong line 10B-10B in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a cup stack depletion latching deviceemployed in the machine taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the machine withportions broken away to illustrate a cup shielding mechanism employed inthe machine.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cup shielding mechanism asseen along line 13-13 in FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the cup shielding mechanism takenalong line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to that of FIG.12 but now showing a spring arrangement being employed by the cupshielding mechanism in place of the cable and spring arrangement shownin FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to that of FIG. 13 butnow showing a portion of the spring arrangement employed by the cupshielding mechanism as shown in FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, there isillustrated an exemplary embodiment of a coin-operated sanitized vendingmachine, generally designated 10, in accordance with the presentinvention. The sanitized vending machine 10 basically includes a housing12 and a vending unit 14. The housing 12 includes an upright base 16 andsubstantially horizontal top platform 18 peripherally supported abovethe upright base 16 upon an upper edge thereof. The vending unit 14includes a product vending apparatus 20 and a cup dispenser apparatus 22interfaced and supported in a substantially tandem arrangement with oneanother by the top platform 18 of the housing 12 such that the cupdispenser apparatus 22 is located behind the product vending apparatus20.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, 5 and 6, the product vending apparatus 20 of thevending unit 14 includes a merchandise storage magazine 24, a productdispensing mechanism 26, and a coin-operated actuation mechanism 28. Themerchandise storage magazine 24 is supported upright by the top platform18 above the housing 12 and defines a chamber 30 adapted for holding aplurality of product items P to be dispensed one or more at a time. Thetop platform 18 of the housing 12 has a well structure 32 affixed aboutand depending below an interior edge 33 of the platform 18 defining anopening 34 in the top platform 18.

The product dispensing mechanism 26 includes a product dispensing device38 disposed through a front portion 34A of the opening 34 and within afront cavity 36 of the well structure 32 above a front bottom wall 32Athereof. The product dispensing device 38 is rotatably supported by acentral tubular portion 38A thereof which fits over a pedestal 32Cattached on and extending upwardly from the front bottom wall 32A. Theproduct dispensing device 38 underlies the chamber 30 of the storagemagazine 24 to receive the predetermined number of product items fromthe storage magazine 24 into each compartment 38B of the productdispensing device 38 radially extending outwardly from andcircumferentially displaced about the central tubular portion 38Athereof. Upon rotation of the product dispensing device 38 through 120°of a 360° circular path of travel during each product dispensing cycle,the product items received in a given one of the compartments 38B aresuccessively carried by the product dispensing device 38 under astationary cover portion 26A of the product dispensing mechanism 26 andacross an opening 40 in the front bottom wall 32A of the well structure32 at which the product items then fall (in other words, are dispensed)through the opening 40.

The product dispensing device 38 also includes a first driven gear 42defined about its lower periphery portion 38C. The well structure 32 hasan opening 32E at a front end of the front cavity 36 facing the rear ofthe coin-operated actuation mechanism 28 of the product vendingapparatus 20. Front portions of the product dispensing device 38 and thefirst driven gear 42 project through the front end opening 32E of thewell structure 32 so that the first driven gear 42 can maintain anoperative interfaced or driven relationship with the coin-operatedactuation mechanism 28 as will be described hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the coin-operated actuation mechanism 28includes a mounting plate 44, a shaft 46, a handle 48, a coin carrier 50and a drive gear 52. The mounting plate 44 mounts the coin-operatedactuation mechanism 28 to the base 16 of the housing 12 by seating intoan open top slot (not shown) defined in the housing base 16 below theupper edge thereof and forwardly of the product dispensing mechanism 26.The shaft 46 is rotatably mounted through and by the mounting plate 44such that outer and inner end portions 46A, 46B of the shaft 46 extendto and are disposed at the exterior and interior of the housing base 16.The handle 48 is attached on the outer end portion 46A of the shaft 46and thus disposed at the exterior of the housing 12 where the handle 48may be gripped and turned by a user. The drive gear 52 is attached onthe inner end portion 46B of the shaft 46 and thus disposed in theinterior of the housing 12. The coin carrier 50 is attached along theshaft 46 and disposed in the interior of the housing between and spacedfrom the handle 48 and the drive gear 52. A user upon turning the handle48 concurrently causes rotation of the shaft 46, coin carrier 50 anddrive gear 52 within the housing 12. A one-way ratchet gear 54 is formedon a rear face of a wheel 56 attached along the shaft 46 in the interiorof the housing 12 between the coin carrier 50 and drive gear 52. Theratchet gear 54 is engaged by a spring-loaded pawl 58 so that the shaft46 can only be rotated in one direction, namely counterclockwise, asviewed in FIG. 4, upon turning the handle 48 clockwise, as viewed inFIG. 1. A peripheral edge portion 56A of the wheel 56 extends radiallyoutward beyond the ratchet gear 54 and is provided with a recess ornotch 56B at a six o'clock position about the wheel peripheral edgeportion 56A. The purpose of the notch 56B will be explained hereinafter.The drive gear 52 and the wheel 56 may be considered together as a unitconstituting a rotatable actuator that also will be explainedhereinafter.

During a given actuation cycle, at least one coin is deposited by a userthrough a coin slot 60 along the top of the mounting plate 44. The coinis received by the coin carrier 50 which holds the coin as the handle 48is turned by the user and the shaft 46, coin carrier 50 and drive gear52 therewith are rotated through a 360° path of travel during the givenactuation cycle. The rotation of the coin carrier 50 transfers the cointo and releases it at a coin storage location (not shown) in the housingbase 16. The rotation of the drive gear 52, which underlies anddrivingly meshes, interfaces or engages directly with the first drivengear 42 on the rotatable dispensing device 38, causes rotation of thefirst driven gear 42 and thus the product dispensing device 38therewith. The ratio of the sizes of the respective gears 42, 52 is suchthat the first driven gear 42 and thus the product dispensing device 38rotate through 120° each dispensing cycle in response to rotation of theshaft 46 and drive gear 52 by the turning of the handle 48 through theentire 360° circular path of travel during the given actuation cycle.Thus, the dispensing of one or more product items occurs from asuccessive one of the compartments 38B of the product dispensing device38 through the product dispensing opening 40 in the front bottom wall34A of the well structure 34 during each actuation cycle of thecoin-operated actuation mechanism 28 of the product vending apparatus 20of the vending unit 14.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5-8, the cup dispenser apparatus 22 of thevending unit 14 includes a cup dispensing mechanism 62 and outer andinner cup separator devices 64, 88. The vending unit 14 also includes adrop chute 66 disposed below and in communication with the product andcup dispensing mechanisms 26, 62. The cup dispensing mechanism 62includes a cup magazine or holder device 68 disposed within a rearcavity 70 of the well structure 32 and being rotatably supported on acentral pedestal 32D affixed upright on a rear bottom wall 32B of thewell structure 32 (which rear bottom wall 32B is at a level lower thanthe level of the front bottom wall 32A). The cup holder device 68includes a lower holder part 74 that is rotatably fitted over andsupported by the central pedestal 32D and also by an interior ledge 32Fof the well structure 32 such that the lower holder part 74 is disposedin a spaced relationship above the rear bottom wall 32B of the wellstructure 32. The cup holder device 68 also includes an upper holderpart 76 (FIGS. 1 and 2) that seats and is fastened uponinternally-threaded posts 72 (FIGS. 5 and 9) affixed on and extendingupright from the lower holder part 74. The upper holder part 76 isthereby carried by the lower holder part 74 along a 360° circular pathof rotational travel. The upper holder part 76 extends upwardly througha rear portion 34B of the opening 34 in the top platform 18 to above thetop platform 18 of the housing 12, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The cup holder device 68 also includes multiple lower tubular columns 78in the lower holder part 74 and multiple upper tubular columns 80 in theupper holder part 76 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The multiple lower and uppertubular columns 78, 80, such as three in number, are vertically alignedwith one another. The vertically aligned lower and upper tubular columns78, 80 also are disposed side-by-side and angularly displaced 120° fromone another. The lower and upper tubular columns 78, 80 in the lower andupper holder parts 74, 76 of the cup holder device 68 are open at theiropposite ends so as to define passageways 82, 84 through the tubularcolumns 78, 80 that allow insertion of stacks of cups C through theupper open ends of the upper holder part 76 and also communicate at thelower open ends of the lower holder part 74 with the drop chute 66 whensuccessively aligned with a cup dispensing opening 86 in the rear bottomwall 32B of the well structure 32 located below a portion of the cupholder device 68. The lower tubular columns 78 also have vertical outerand inner slots 78A, 78B formed therein which extend between theiropposite ends along their outer and inner sides. The inner slots 78Bextend from their upper ends and terminate a short distance above theirlower ends. The vertical inner slots 78B provide space for insertion andsupport of the inner cup separator device 88 upon the central pedestal32D by use of a fastener 90 which extends through a central bore in thelower holder part 74 and threads into the central pedestal 32D. Theinner cup separator device 88 cooperates with the outer cup separatordevice 64, as will be further described hereinafter, to controlseparation of each lowermost cup LC from its stack as the cup holderdevice 68 rotatably moves through 120° of the 360° circular path oftravel.

The cup dispensing mechanism 62 also includes a second driven gear 92defined about the lower periphery of the lower holder part 74 of the cupholder device 68 on the top side of a peripheral flange 74A on the lowerholder part 74 that overlies an interior ledge 32F in the rear cavity 70of the well structure 32. The well structure 32 has an opening 93 at theintersection between its front and rear cavities 36, 70 such that as theproduct dispensing device first driven gear 42 rotates through the 360°circular path of travel, a rear portion thereof and a front portion ofthe cup dispensing mechanism gear 92 project through the opening 93between the cavities 36, 70 of the well structure 32 and directlydrivingly intermesh, engage or interface with one another. Suchintermeshing will cause rotation of the cup holder device 68 through120° of the 360° circular path of travel, and thus operation of the cupdispenser apparatus 22 through a cup dispensing cycle, upon rotation ofthe shaft 46 and drive gear 52 thereon by the turning of the handle 48of the coin-operated actuation mechanism 28 through the 360° circularpath of travel of a given actuation cycle to thereby cause thedispensing of the predetermined number of product items from one of thecompartments 38B of the dispensing device 38 through the productdispensing opening 40 in the front bottom wall 32A of the well structure32 and dispensing of a cup from one of the lower tubular columns 78 ofthe lower holder part 74 of the cup holder device 68 through the cupdispensing opening 86 in the rear bottom wall 32B of the well structure32 in a manner that a cup C with product P therein will be delivered toan accessible location of the vending unit 14, as will be describedhereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, the outer cup separator device 64 of the cupdispenser apparatus 22 is incorporated on a bracket 118 describedhereinafter. The bracket 118 incorporating the outer cup separatordevice 64 has an arcuate configuration so as to extend through about a150° portion of the 360° circular path of travel of the cup holderdevice 68 such that the bracket 118 overlies as well as is disposed bothupstream and downstream of the cup dispensing opening 86 whereas theouter cup separator device 64 overlies and extends a short distanceinwardly beyond the outer side of the cup dispensing opening 86beginning at the upstream end thereof.

The outer cup separator device 64 and the top of the inner cup separatordevice 88 are disposed in a spaced relationship above the rear bottomwall 32B of the well structure 32 at a height slightly greater than theheight of one cup C and in a stationary relationship to the rotatablecup holder device 68. The top level of the outer cup separator device 64lies in a horizontal plane just below the bottom level of the upperholder part 76 and aligned with the upper level of the lower holder part74. The outer cup separator device 64 at its inner edge portion 64Aextends tangentially to and slightly inwardly across through the outerslots 78A as their respective lower tubular columns 78 rotate past theouter cup separator device 64. The portion of the outer cup separatordevice 64 that overlies the cup dispensing opening 86 has anarcuate-shaped cam segment 94 defined therealong with a wedge-shaped ortapered entry end 94A that will ensure separation of the lowermost cup Cfrom the next cup C above it in the stack S. To prevent the remainingstack of cups above the lowermost cup LC from also falling downwardthrough the cup dispensing opening 86, the top of the inner cupseparator device 88 has a radially outward protruding circular rimportion 88A extending through about 180° opposite from and co-extensivewith the inner edge portion 64A of the outer cup separator device 64,The top rim R of the next higher cup C above the lowermost cup C of thetwo stacks approaching and leaving the location of the cup dispensingopening 86 overlies the inner edge portion 64A of the outer cupseparator device 64 and the opposing rim portion 88A of the inner cupseparator device 88 so as to support the remaining stack of cupsthereon. The rim portion 88A of the inner cup separator device 88 is cutaway for about the remaining 180° thereabout so as to withdraw supportfrom the remaining stack of cups during travel through that portion ofits circular path opposite from the location of the outer cup separatordevice 64, allowing the new lowermost cup and remaining stack to dropdown onto the rear bottom wall 32B of the well structure 32 such thatthe top rim R of the new lowermost cup will be just below and thus passunder the inner edge portion 64A of the outer cup separator device 64 aswell as below the protruding rim portion 88A of the inner cup separatordevice 88 in preparation for engaging with the wedge-shaped or taperedentry end 94A of the depending cam segment 94 of the outer cup separatordevice 64.

The dispensed empty cup drops downward through the funnel-shaped upperportion 66A of the drop chute 66 and into a substantially vertical lowerportion 66B thereof until the top rim R of the released cup C encountersand is caught by a plurality of circumferentially-spaced apart pivotalprotrusions or ledges 96 inwardly biased by springs 98 and mounted onpins 100 in recesses 102 at an intermediate location near where theupper portion 66A of the drop chute 66 merges into the lower portion 66Bthereof. The cup C is stopped by the inwardly extended pivotal ledges96, due to the bias of the springs 98, and temporarily held seated onthe ledges 96 at the intermediate position about midway down the cuppathway until the product items guided by the drop chute 66 have droppedinto the cup. The bias of the springs 98 is preselected such that theweight of the product and the cup is sufficient to overcome the bias ofthe springs 98 and cause the pivotal ledges 96 to pivot outwardly awayfrom the cup C and allow the cup C with product items therein to drop tothe final location on the base 16 of the housing 12 behind an exterioraccess door 104 pivotally mounted on the front of the vending machine 10where cup C (FIG. 6) can be removed by the user opening the access door104.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the vending unit 14 includes an access doorlocking mechanism 106 to control access of a user to the location in thebase 16 behind the access door 104. The mechanism 106 maintains theaccess door 104 in a locked condition and thus disabled from providingaccess by a user until the handle 48 of the coin-operated actuationmechanism 28 is turned through the full 360° circular path of travel ofa given actuation cycle such that upon reaching the end of the cycle theaccess door 104 is converted to an unlocked condition and may be openedby a user who then may reach in and remove the cup with the productitems. The access door locking mechanism 106 includes an elongated rod108 reciprocally mounted through a retainer member 110 secured on theinside surface 104A of the access door 104 and encircled by a spring 112at a location intermediate the opposite upper and lower ends 108A, 108Cof the rod 108. The spring 112 is disposed in a slot 110A in theretainer member 110 in a compressed condition between a collar on thelower end 108C of the rod 108 and an end of the slot 110A so as to biasthe rod 108 upwardly to place the access door 104 in an unlockedcondition.

The access door locking mechanism 106 also includes an arm-shaped lockactuation device 114 mounted in the base 16 of the housing 12 above andaligned with the rod 108 so as to undergo vertical reciprocal movementduring a given actuation cycle in a channel 117 defined by a stationarybracket 115 fixed on the housing 12. An upper arm portion 114A of thelock actuation device 114 underlies the peripheral edge portion 56A ofthe rotatable actuator wheel 56 of the coin-operated actuation mechanism18 such that the peripheral edge portion 56A engages the upper armportion 114A and depresses the lock actuation device 114 and then therod 108 downward against the bias of the spring 112 such that the lowerend 1086 is inserted into a hole 116 in the base 16 of the housing 12below the access door 104, locking the door against being pivoted awayfrom the housing 12. When the handle 48 of the mechanism 28 has beenturned to the end of a complete 360° circular path of travel of a givenactuation cycle, the upper arm portion 114A of the lock actuation device114 becomes aligned with the notch 56B in the peripheral edge portion56A of the wheel 56, allowing the upper arm portion 114A of the lockactuation device 114 and the rod 108 to move upward due to the biasforce of the spring 112 and retract the lower end 108B from the hole 116in the base 16 of the housing 12. The access door 104 can then be openedand the cup with product therein removed. This arrangement will ensurethat the cup cannot be removed prematurely.

The flow of driving torque begins when, after a user deposits theappropriate number of coins into coin slot 60, the user turns the handle48 of the mechanism 28 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1. Turning of thehandle 48 rotates the shaft 46 and also rotates the actuation mechanismdrive gear 52 and wheel 56 (constituting the components of the rotatableactuator) with the shaft 46, the rotation of the latter iscounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 which is in a direction opposite tothat in FIG. 1. Rotation of the rotatable actuator drive gear 52 rotatesthe product vending apparatus first driven gear 42 and the productdispensing device 38 therewith which, in turn, rotates the cup dispenserapparatus second driven gear 92 and the cup holder device 68 therewith.The arrangements of the product dispensing device 38 and cup holderdevice 68 relative to their respective dispensing openings 40, 86 aresuch that each compartment 38B of the product dispensing device 38travels over the product dispensing opening 40 before each passageway 82through the lower holder part 74 of the cup holder device 68 travelsover the cup dispensing opening 86; thus, the product items are droppedfrom the respective compartment 38B into the drop chute 66 before thecup is dropped from the respective passageway into the drop chute 66during the same actuation cycle. However, the vending unit 14 is set upsuch that the empty cup dispensed at the completion of the previousactuation cycle is captured and retained by the pivotal protrusions orledges 96 at the intermediate position in the drop chute 66 and thuswill receive product items during the succeeding actuation cycle. Whenthe product items drop into the cup their weight added to the cup'sweight is sufficient to force outward retraction of the ledges 96,against the opposed biasing force applied by the springs 98, therebyreleasing the cup (with the product therein) from the ledges 96 andallowing it to drop to the discharge location behind the access door104. The next cup then dispensed, subsequent to the product items, atthe completion of the same actuation cycle will be caught and retainedby the ledges 96, which will have immediately extended toward oneanother due to the bias force applied on the ledges 96 by springs 98,for receiving product during the subsequent actuation cycle.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 9-14, there is illustrated five featuresfor further enhancing the operation of the sanitized vending machine 10.Referring first to FIGS. 5, 9 and 10A, there is shown a bracket 118mounted upon recessed shelves along the front and a side of the rearcavity 70 of the well structure 32 in overlying relation to the opening93 at the intersection of the front and rear cavities 36, 70. Thus, thebracket 118 is spaced above the location of intermeshing of the gear 42about the lower periphery of the dispensing device 38 with the seconddriven gear 92 on the lower periphery of the lower holder part 74 of thecup holder device 68. In addition to the above-described cup separatordevice 64, the bracket 118 incorporates a first of the fiveoperation-enhancing features which is a separation restraint device inthe form of an arm 120 attached to and depending from the bracket 118.As best seen in FIG. 10A, the arm 120 terminates just above and in aclose positional relationship to an upper side of a flange 38D on thelower periphery portion 38C of the dispensing device 38. On theunderside of the flange 38D is formed the first driven gear 42. Thefunction of the depending arm 120 is to ensure that the first and seconddriven gears 42, 92 cannot separate from their interfacing relationshipwith one another and thus, in other words, to maintain the drivinginterfacing or intermeshing engagement of the first and second drivengears 42, 92 with one another.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 9 and 10B, there is shown a second of the fiveoperation-enhancing features which is a position restraint device in theform of a rod 124 having a spring-biased retractable tip 124A. The rod124 is attached to and depends from the bracket 118 in a spacedrelationship from the restraint arm 120 and generally parallel thereto.As best seen in FIG. 10B, the retractable tip 124A is spring biased toprotrude downwardly into one of three depressions 126 formed at 120degree intervals in the top of the flange 38D, marking the end of eachproduct dispensing cycle so as to ensure that the dispensing device 38is maintained in proper beginning alignment for the start of the nextproduct dispensing cycle. The tip 124A is adapted to retract and permitrotation of the product dispensing device 38 in response to a subsequentactuation cycle.

Referring again to FIG. 9, there is also illustrated a third of the fiveoperation-enhancing features which is in the form of a depression 128formed in the rear bottom wall 32B of the well structure 32 at theupstream side of the cup dispensing opening 86 therein. The depression128 ensures that the lowermost cup will release on time from the cupimmediately above it as the one stack of cups is moved over the cupdispensing opening 86.

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 11, there is shown a fourth of the fiveoperation-enhancing features in the form of a latching device 130mounted to exterior of the rear bottom wall 32B of the well structure 32downstream from the cup dispensing opening 86. The latching device 130has a link 132 biased by a spring 134 to move upwardly toward the rearbottom wall 32B. The link 132 at an inner end has attached thereto afirst pin 136 which extends through a hole 138 in the rear bottom wall32B in the path of the stack of cups as they are moved in a circularpath upon the wall 32B. The link 132 at an outer end has attachedthereto a second pin 140 which extends through a slot 142 formedvertically through the interior ledge 32F on the wall 32B and underlyinga peripheral flange 74A of the lower holder part 74 of the cup holderdevice 68. The second pin 140 is aligned to insert into any one ofmultiple (three) recesses 144 formed on the underside of the peripheralflange 74A of the lower holder part 74 of the cup holder device 68. Thelatching device 130 functions to detect depletion of any one of thestacks of cups and in response thereto to stop the ability of the cupholder device 68 to rotate and thereby prevent a user from being able toturn the handle 48 of the coin-operated actuation mechanism 28. Theweight of a single last cup of the stack thereof will be enough todepress the first pin 136 and the link 132 and thereby retract thesecond pin 140 away from above the wall 32B and the recesses 144.However, when the last cup has been used, then the spring 134 causes thefirst and second pins 136, 140 and the link 132 to elevate and thesecond pin 140 to protrude into a corresponding one of the recesses 144and thereby lock the cup holder device 68 in a fixed state.

Referring to FIGS. 12-14, there is illustrated a last of the fiveoperation-enhancing features in the form of a cup shielding mechanism146 disposed rearwardly of and below the intermediate location on thedrop chute 66 (FIG. 6), rearwardly or and above the discharge locationbehind the access door 104 on the housing 12. The cup shieldingmechanism 146 is actuated, in response to the access door 104 beingpivoted in the directions of the double arrows in FIG. 12 between closedand opened positions, to translate between retracted and extendedpositions, as shown in solid and broken line forms in FIG. 12. When thecup shielding mechanism 146 is in the extended position, any personreaching past the opened access door 104 into the housing 12 isobstructed or blocked from being able to reach the cup disposed at theintermediate location in the drop chute 66, spaced above the dischargelocation, which will receive product items during the next actuationcycle.

More particularly, the cup shield mechanism 146 includes a bed 148disposed below and rearwardly of the drop chute 66 and above andrearwardly of the discharge location. More particularly, the bed 148 ismounted to a bracket 150 upstanding from the base 16 of the housing 12such that the bed 148 extends horizontally from the bracket 150 in arearward direction away from the access door 104. The cup shieldmechanism 146 also includes a track 154 formed on a top side of the bed148 and a plank 152 slidably mounted in the track 154 on the bed 148 soas to be translatable relative to the bed 148 between the retracted andextended positions. The cup shield mechanism 146 also includes an arm156 that is fixed to, and extends within the housing 12 from, the backside of the access door 104 such that the arm 156 moves with the pivotalmovement of the door 104, and a resiliently yieldable arrangementstationarily anchored above the access door 104 and extending betweenand interconnecting an end 156A of the arm 156, a rear end of the plank152 and a rear end of the bed 148. The resiliently yieldable arrangementcauses the plank 152 to slide relative to the bed 148 to the extendedposition in response to the access door 104 being pivoted open, whereinthe plank 152 underlies the bottom of an empty cup C at the intermediateposition in the drop chute 66 (FIG. 6). Further, the resilientlyyieldable arrangement causes the plank 152 to slide relative to the bed148 to the retracted position in response to the access door 104 beingpivoted closed, wherein the plank 152 is withdrawn from under the emptycup C at the intermediate location in the drop chute 66.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in one exemplary embodiment, theresiliently yieldable arrangement of the cup shield mechanism 146 is inthe form of a spring-and-cable arrangement 157 having a first spring157A stationarily anchored to the housing 12 and connected to the arm156 so as to apply a bias force to the arm 156 tending to pivot the door104 to a closed position as seen in FIG. 12. The spring-and-cablearrangement 157 also has a second spring 157B and a cable 158 connectedto a rear end 156A of the arm 156 and extending therefrom upwardly andover an elevated hook 160, then downwardly to and through a hole 162 inthe bracket 150, then rearwardly to where it connects to the rear end ofthe plank 152. The spring-and-cable arrangement 157 further has a thirdspring 157C connected between a rear end of the bed 148 and the rear endof the plank 152. The third spring 157C applies a biasing force, throughthe second spring 157B, also tending to pivot the door 104 to the closedposition, and applies a biasing force to the plant 152 tending to slidethe plank 152 to its retracted position. The action of a user in openingthe access door 104 overcomes the aforementioned biasing forces, causingthe plank 152 to slide to its extended position.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, theresiliently yieldable arrangement of the cup shield mechanism 146 is inthe form of an angular spring arrangement 164 having a pair ofinterconnected springs 166A, 166B. The spring 166A is stationarilyanchored on the housing 12 above the access door 104 and extends betweenthe housing 12 and the rear end 156A of the arm 156. The spring 166Bextends between the rear end 156A of the arm 156 and the rear end of theplank 152. Thus, the springs 166A, 166B of the all spring arrangement164 replaces the first spring 157A, second spring 157B, cable 158,elevated hook 160 and hole 162 in bracket 150 of the spring-and-cablearrangement 157. The angular spring arrangement 164 retains the spring157C connected between the rear end of the bed 148 and the rear end ofthe plank 152.

The angular spring arrangement 164 functions the same as thespring-and-cable arrangement 157 with respect to the access door 104 andplank 152. Both of the arrangements 157, 164 will cause the plank 152 toslide forwardly relative to the bed 148 to the extended position shownin dashed line form in FIGS. 12 and 15, wherein the plank 152 underliesthe empty cup C at the intermediate position in the drop chute 66 inresponse to the access door 104 being pivoted open, and to sliderearwardly relative to the bed 148 to the retracted position shown insolid line form in FIGS. 12 and 15, wherein the plank 152 is withdrawnfrom under the empty cup at the intermediate location in response to theaccess door 104 being pivoted closed. When disposed at the extendedposition, the plank 152 will prevent a user or anyone reaching throughthe opening 164 in the housing 12 when the door 104 is open fromreaching and contacting the next cup disposed at the intermediatelocation and thereby attempting to disrupt the steps involved in fillingthe next cup with product and dropping it to onto the dispensinglocation.

It is thought that the present invention and its advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely exemplaryembodiments thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sanitized vending machine, comprising: a cupdispensing mechanism adapted to hold at least one stack of cups androtate through a cup dispensing cycle during which said cup dispensingmechanism dispenses a cup from the stack; a product dispensing mechanismadapted to hold a plurality of product items and rotate through aproduct dispensing cycle during which the product dispensing mechanismdispenses one or more of product items into a dispensed cup; a dropchute disposed below and in communication with said product and cupdispensing mechanisms and being adapted to receive and guide a dispensedcup to an intermediate location in said drop chute, to receive and guidedispensed product items into a dispensed cup at said intermediatelocation in said drop chute, and to guide the dispensed cup with thedispensed product items therein to a discharge location below said dropchute; an actuation mechanism including a rotatable actuator beingadapted upon actuation to cause rotation of said product and cupdispensing mechanisms, and a handle coupled to said rotatable actuatorand adapted to be turned by a user to actuate said rotatable actuator byrotating said rotatable actuator through an actuation cycle that causesrotation of said product and cup dispensing mechanisms through saidrespective product and cup dispensing cycles in a predetermined sequenceso that the dispensed product items are received in a dispensed cup atsaid intermediate location and then dropped to said discharge locationduring each actuation cycle; an access door being movable between aclosed position and an opened position to allow a user to remove adispensed cup containing product items from the discharge location whenthe access door in said opened position; and an access door lockingmechanism coupled to said actuation mechanism and said access door andadapted to maintain said access door in a locked condition at the closedposition from the start of the actuation cycle until said handle of saidactuation mechanism has been turned by a user through completion of theactuation cycle whereupon said access door is converted to an unlockedcondition permitting the user to open said access door and remove thecup containing product items.
 2. The machine of claim 1 wherein saidaccess door locking mechanism includes: an elongated rod reciprocallymounted on an inside surface of said access door and having bias imposedthereon to move said rod upward so as to place said access door in saidunlocked condition; and a lock actuation device reciprocally mountedabove said access door, and at a lower end being aligned with saidelongated rod, said lock actuation device at an upper end being engagedwith said rotatable actuator of said actuation mechanism such that assaid handle of said actuation mechanism is turned by a user through anactuation cycle said rotatable actuator maintains said lock actuationdevice and said elongated rod depressed downward against said bias suchthat said rod maintains said access door in said locked condition atsaid closed position, until said handle of said actuation mechanism hasreached the completion of the actuation cycle whereupon said rotatableactuator allows said lock actuation device and elongated rod to moveupward due said bias and convert said access door to an unlockedcondition permitting the user to open said access door and remove thecup containing product items.
 3. The machine of claim 2 wherein: saidrotatable actuator of said actuation mechanism includes a rotatablewheel having a peripheral edge portion and a recess provided in saidperipheral edge portion; and said lock actuation device of said accessdoor locking mechanism at said upper end underlies and engages saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel of said rotatableactuator of said actuation mechanism such that as said handle of saidactuation mechanism is turned by a user through the actuation cycle saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel maintains said lockactuation device and said elongated rod depressed downward against saidbias and a lower end of said rod inserted into a hole below said accessdoor, thereby placing said access door in said locked condition at saidclosed position, until said handle of said actuation mechanism hasreached the completion of said actuation cycle whereupon said upper endof said lock actuation device becomes aligned with and enters saidrecess in said peripheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel, allowingsaid lock actuation device and elongated rod to move upward due saidbias and retract said lower end of said rod from said hole, therebyconverting said access door to said unlocked condition permitting theuser to open said access door and remove the cup containing productitems.
 4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said access door lockingmechanism further includes: a retainer member secured on an insidesurface of said access door; said elongated rod being reciprocallymounted through said retainer member; and a spring encircling said rodat a location intermediate between opposite upper and lower ends of saidrod and imposing said bias thereon.
 5. The machine of claim 4 wherein:said retainer member has a slot therein; said rod has a collar thereondisposed in said slot of said retainer member; and said spring isdisposed in said slot in said retainer member in a compressed conditionbetween said collar on said rod and an end of said slot so as to biassaid rod upwardly to place said access door in said unlocked condition.6. The machine of claim 4 wherein: said rotatable actuator of saidactuation mechanism includes a rotatable wheel having a peripheral edgeportion and a recess provided in said peripheral edge portion; and saidlock actuation device of said access door locking mechanism at saidupper end underlies and engages said peripheral edge portion of saidrotatable wheel of said rotatable actuator of said actuation mechanismsuch that as said handle of said actuation mechanism is turned by a userthrough the actuation cycle said peripheral edge portion of saidrotatable wheel maintains said lock actuation device and said elongatedrod depressed downward against the bias of said spring and a lower endof said rod inserted into a hole below said access door, thereby placingsaid access door in said locked condition at said closed position, untilsaid handle of said actuation mechanism has reached completion of saidactuation cycle whereupon said upper end of said lock actuation devicebecomes aligned with and enters said recess in said peripheral edgeportion of said rotatable wheel, allowing said lock actuation device andelongated rod to move upward due the bias of said spring and retractsaid lower end of said rod from said hole, thereby converting saidaccess door to said unlocked condition permitting the user to open saidaccess door and remove the cup containing product items.
 7. The machineof claim 6 wherein: said retainer member has a slot therein; said rodhas a collar thereon disposed in said slot of said retainer member; andsaid spring is disposed in said slot in said retainer member in acompressed condition between said collar on said rod and an end of saidslot so as to bias said rod upwardly to place said access door in saidunlocked condition.
 8. A sanitized vending machine, comprising: ahousing; a cup dispensing mechanism mounted in said housing, said cupdispensing mechanism being adapted to hold at least one stack of cupsand rotate through a cup dispensing cycle during which said cupdispensing mechanism dispenses a cup from the stack; a productdispensing mechanism mounted in said housing, said product dispensingmechanism being adapted to hold a plurality of product items and rotatethrough a product dispensing cycle during which said product dispensingmechanism dispenses one or more of product items into a dispensed cup; adrop chute mounted in said housing below and in communication with saidproduct and cup dispensing mechanisms, said drop chute being adapted toreceive and guide a dispensed cup to an intermediate location in saiddrop chute, to receive and guide dispensed product items into adispensed cup at said intermediate location in said drop chute, and toguide the dispensed cup with the dispensed product items therein to adischarge location below said drop chute; an actuation mechanism mountedto said housing and including a rotatable actuator being adapted uponactuation to cause rotation of said product and cup dispensingmechanisms, and a handle coupled to said rotatable actuator and adaptedto be turned by a user to actuate said rotatable actuator by rotatingsaid rotatable actuator through an actuation cycle that causes rotationof said product and cup dispensing mechanisms through said respectiveproduct and cup dispensing cycles in a predetermined sequence so thatthe dispensed product items are received in the dispensed cup at saidintermediate location and then dropped to said discharge location duringeach actuation cycle; an access door mounted to said housing and beingmovable between a closed position and an opened position to allow a userto remove a dispensed cup containing product items from the dischargelocation when the access door in said opened position; and an accessdoor locking mechanism coupled to said housing, said actuation mechanismand said access door and adapted to maintain said access door in alocked condition at the closed position from the start of the actuationcycle until said handle of said actuation mechanism has been turned by auser through completion of the actuation cycle whereupon said accessdoor is converted to an unlocked condition permitting the user to opensaid access door and remove the cup containing product items.
 9. Themachine of claim 8 wherein said access door locking mechanism includes:an elongated rod reciprocally mounted on an inside surface of saidaccess door and having bias imposed thereon to move said rod upward soas to place said access door in said unlocked condition; and a lockactuation device reciprocally mounted in said housing above said accessdoor, and at a lower end being aligned with said elongated rod, saidlock actuation device at an upper end being engaged with said rotatableactuator of said actuation mechanism such that as said handle of saidactuation mechanism is turned by a user through an actuation cycle saidrotatable actuator maintains said lock actuation device and saidelongated rod depressed downward against said bias such that said rodmaintains said access door in said locked condition at said closedposition, until said handle of said actuation mechanism has reached thecompletion of the actuation cycle whereupon said rotatable actuatorallows said lock actuation device and elongated rod to move upward duesaid bias and convert said access door to an unlocked conditionpermitting the user to open said access door and remove the cupcontaining product items.
 10. The machine of claim 9 wherein: saidrotatable actuator of said actuation mechanism includes a rotatablewheel having a peripheral edge portion and a recess provided in saidperipheral edge portion; and said lock actuation device of said accessdoor locking mechanism at said upper end underlies and engages saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel of said rotatableactuator of said actuation mechanism such that as said handle of saidactuation mechanism is turned by a user through the actuation cycle saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel maintains said lockactuation device and said elongated rod depressed downward against saidbias and a lower end of said rod inserted into a hole in said housingbelow said access door, thereby placing said access door in said lockedcondition at said closed position, until said handle of said actuationmechanism has reached the completion of said actuation cycle whereuponsaid upper end of said lock actuation device becomes aligned with andenters said recess in said peripheral edge portion of said rotatablewheel, allowing said lock actuation device and elongated rod to moveupward due said bias and retract said lower end of said rod from saidhole in said housing, thereby converting said access door to saidunlocked condition permitting the user to open said access door andremove the cup containing product items.
 11. The machine of claim 9wherein said access door locking mechanism further includes: a retainermember secured on an inside surface of said access door; said elongatedrod being reciprocally mounted through said retainer member; and aspring encircling said rod at a location intermediate between oppositeupper and lower ends of said rod and imposing said bias thereon.
 12. Themachine of claim 11 wherein: said retainer member has a slot therein;said rod has a collar thereon disposed in said slot of said retainermember; and said spring is disposed in said slot in said retainer memberin a compressed condition between said collar on said rod and an end ofsaid slot so as to bias said rod upwardly to place said access door insaid unlocked condition.
 13. The machine of claim 11 wherein: saidrotatable actuator of said actuation mechanism includes a rotatablewheel having a peripheral edge portion and a recess provided in saidperipheral edge portion; and said lock actuation device of said accessdoor locking mechanism at said upper end underlies and engages saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel of said rotatableactuator of said actuation mechanism such that as said handle of saidactuation mechanism is turned by a user through the actuation cycle saidperipheral edge portion of said rotatable wheel maintains said lockactuation device and said elongated rod depressed downward against thebias of said spring and a lower end of said rod inserted into a hole insaid housing below said access door, thereby placing said access door insaid locked condition at said closed position, until said handle of saidactuation mechanism has reached completion of said actuation cyclewhereupon said upper end of said lock actuation device becomes alignedwith and enters said recess in said peripheral edge portion of saidrotatable wheel, allowing said lock actuation device and elongated rodto move upward due the bias of said spring and retract said lower end ofsaid rod from said hole, thereby converting said access door to saidunlocked condition permitting the user to open said access door andremove the cup containing product items.
 14. The machine of claim 13wherein: said retainer member has a slot therein; said rod has a collarthereon disposed in said slot of said retainer member; and said springis disposed in said slot in said retainer member in a compressedcondition between said collar on said rod and an end of said slot so asto bias said rod upwardly to place said access door in said unlockedcondition.